A/N- Hey guys! I don't know what's going on with e-mail alerts right now… I didn't get any review alerts and I didn't get my alert for posting the last chapter. I've seen this happen before and in some cases it takes a while for fanfiction to fix this problem. Anyways, I've decided not to wait for the alerts to come out and just post the next chapter. Enjoy!

insane-rocker- I'm glad you liked it!

Niffer01- Yes, they're friends are so nice to leave them somewhere to sit…

tyLer-Lover- Thanks for the review! There will be another beach scene coming up too. I think fanfiction has been having trouble. I had problems uploading for a while and I'm not getting any e-mail alerts right now either. I'm getting all of my reviews off my stats page.

soccergurl382- I definitely have some good scenes planned. At least I think so. My favorite right now is actually the end… when that's posted you'll see what I'm talking about.

Happy Face21- Yup, it is definitely time for that road, but I wouldn't necessarily call it slow…

Larissa- I'm glad you liked it! Read on to find out if your hopes come true.

The next morning Dena slowly woke up as light tried to penetrate her eye lids. She was instantly able to remember everything that had happened yesterday; the pool tournament, Reid, talking on the beach, living arrangements, talking to Reid, and the movies. Dena couldn't remember anything after the second movie. She slowly opened her eyes to find everyone else asleep in the living room. Caleb and Sarah were cuddled together on the lazy boy Tony had always favored. Pogue and Kate were stretched out on the long couch. A surprise was Tyler and Lucy on the floor sharing pillows and a blanket. The biggest surprise though for Dena was the arm that was wrapped around her waist. Dena was lying on her side and she finally came to realize someone was breathing on the back of her neck. She turned her head to find Reid behind her, his arm draped protectively on her waist, and their legs were tangled together.

"Miss this?" Reid's cocky voice asked.

"Ya, I do actually." Dena responded quietly. She quickly untangled herself from Reid. She padded her way into the kitchen and found a cordless phone. "Hey Anne, is Tony there?... Ya, can I talk to him? Thanks… Ya hey, do I have to be at work today?... Not for the rest of the week? Tony what did you do?... You lied to John! You're going to get me fired… Ya fine… I will… I promise… Ok… Bye."

"What was that all about? You didn't sound too happy about not going into work." Reid asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"I have the next two weeks off. I need to take care of my cousin apparently since their mother is getting surgery and their dad is out of the country. I just don't like the idea of Tony making up a lie for me is all."

"You know most people would be happy to get a two week break from work."

"Most people didn't just start their job a few weeks ago. So Cuz, what do you want for your breakfast?"

"You." Reid wrapped his arms around Dena's stomach and nuzzled her neck. Dena quickly slid out of the embrace and took a few steps to separate them.

"Sorry, I'm not on the menu. Anyway, didn't we agree on not starting anything right away?"

"Well then I'll have eggs, some bacon, sourdough toast, and some orange juice."

"Alright, you just need to give me a bit of time." Dena said. Reid took a seat at the small breakfast bar and watched Dena run around the kitchen.

"How long were you awake last night?" Reid asked.

"Um… middle of the second movie. You?"

"A little bit after. I can't believe Tyler and Lucy though. Did you see them sharing that blanket?"

"Ya, so? Didn't he break up with Amy a couple weeks ago?"

"Ya, but he never moved so fast."

"I couldn't say he's the only one doing something. Let's just say that Lucy is a really friendly person."

"You're probably right."

"No, I am right, trust me." Reid just nodded. Dena set a glass of orange juice in front of him. Dena finished cooking and got out two plates for them. She quickly filled the plates with food and handed one to Reid. "We can go outside."

"Shouldn't we wake the others?"

"We could, or we could just let them reheat everything. I made enough for everyone."

"Alright, lead the way." Dena walked over the sleeping bodies of Lucy and Tyler, who seemed to have moved closer and out the back door. Reid slipped out of the door after Dena and sat down next to her on the patio. It was currently low tide and some sea lions were on the beach.

"Where did you learn to cook?" Reid asked.

"My mom before she died. It was like our bonding time." Dena explained. She let the subject drop so the pair just ate in silence. Soon two empty plates were on the small patio table. Out of the corner of her eye Dena noticed that Reid looked a bit nervous.

"Dena, be my girlfriend again?" Reid asked out of the blue.

"O, just because I can cook you want me to be your girlfriend?" Dena joked.

"No, I really want you to be my girlfriend." Reid said. The seriousness in his voice scared Dena a bit and the shock from the question stunned her into silence.

"But-"

"Thanks for breakfast, D!" Lucy exclaimed walking onto the patio and hugged Dena.

"Ya, no problem." Dena muttered. Lucy went back inside and Dena and Reid could hear the plates clattering in the kitchen. "Reid, I thought we were just going to hang out."

"I know, but Dena, will you please be my girlfriend?"

"Reid… I… I don't know."

"Do you still like me? Do you still have feelings for me?"

"I will always have feelings for you. You do not know how strong they are. What I do not understand is why I am the one having to think about this. You're the one who has reasons to avoid me like the plague."

"If I did that I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Dena, please!" Reid was now on his knees in front of her.

"As long as we can take it slow and build, or rebuild the trust." Dena said. Reid came up and kissed Dena soundly.

"Thank you." Reid said when they broke apart.

"Don't thank me. I should be thanking you. I don't know how you ever came to thank me. And… and if you hadn't come I don't know if I would have ever seen you again."

"I think we have our friends to thank for that." Reid said quietly.

"Wow, is Reid Garwin willingly giving someone else credit when he could take it all?"

"Hey, be nice… and don't tell them." Reid laughed.

"Aw is your ego wounded?" Dena cooed.

"Yes it is. I think it needs a kiss." Dena smiled before leaving forward and kissing Reid.

"Hey guys! They've made up!" Lucy yelled from inside the house. "Hey Dena, does this mean that you'll go to Harvard?"

"You got into Harvard?" Reid asked.

"I applied while I was still at Spencer. I got the letter a couple weeks ago though." Dena explained. "What do you think I should do?"

"Since I am your boyfriend and I am going to Harvard as well, I say you should go, though the decision is completely up to you. What other schools did you apply to?"

"USC, Yale, and Stanford. I got into all of them except for Yale."

"That's a good list." Reid said.

"I know. I was scared that none of them would accept me. Now I'm fine since I'm pretty sure I know where I'm going."

"And that would be?"

"Harvard. I want to go into Law there. Plus I heard there are some pretty hot guys there."

"Ya, of course, I am going there, remember? Anyway, none of those guys will be able to lay one hand on you."

"And why is that?"

"Your insanely jealous boyfriend will break off their hand if they do. Or at least make it incapable of movement for a while."

"Alright, I'll try my best not to tempt anyone, but I can't promise anything. I'm not changing the way I look or act."

"I would never ask you to."

"Good. Also, if I see a single girl giving you any kind of hints or trying to be a flirt… it's not my fault they are in the hospital."

"Now who's the jealous one?"

"I never said I wasn't." Dena smirked. Sometime during their conversation Lucy had decided to leave them alone. That gave Reid and Dena the perfect opportunity to start catching up on all of the kisses they had missed during their separation.